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ADDRESS 



OF THE 



YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS 

FOR NEW-ENGLAND, 

HELD ON RHODE-ISLAND, 
IN THE SIXTH MONTH, 1837, 

TO ITS OWN MEMBERS, AND THOSE OF OTHER 
CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES 



^ul)UsI)ctJ bs tJfi-cctfon of safn iFdcctfiiu. 



NEW -BEDFORD: 

J. C. PARM^ENTER, PRINTER 

18 3 7. 



. p?/ ' 



y 



V 3" 3 7 S 



ADDRESS. 



The subject of Slavery, as it now exists in some parts of 
our common country, having been brought impressively before 
us, at the present time, we have deemed it right to call the atten- 
tion of our own, and of other Christian communities, to its serious 
consideration. 

It is well known that the Society of Friends, as a religious body, 
have long maintained a decided testimony against holding their fel- 
low men in bondage. A testimony which had its origin in a deep 
felt conviction that the practice could not be reconciled with the pre- 
cepts and doctrines of the Christian religion. Yet in thus renew- 
edly adverting to the subject, we feel no disposition to keep out of 
view, the fact, that in the earlier settlement of Friends in this coun. 
try, many of them did, in common with other professors of the 
Christian name, participate in the practice : and we have thought 
that encouragement would be derived from a brief recurrence to the 
rise and progress of the concern for its removal, so far as relates 
to the Society of Friends. 

Individuals of the Society, if not opposed to it from the com- 
mencement, very soon became uneasy with the system ; they were 
drawn to a con.sideration of the subject on Christian principle, and 
becoming fully convinced that it was inconsistent with the spirit of 
the Gospel of love and peace, they felt themselves called upon, net 
only to bear an individual testimony against it, but from a sense of 
religious duty, to labour, in love, with their brethren, for its removal. 
They saw, that the descendants of Africa were fellow beings, equal- 
ly with ourselves the objects of Divine regard, and that the sacred 
injunction of doing unto others, in all things, as we would that they 



should do unto us, was as applicable to them as to any other por- 
tion of the human family. The patient and persevering efforts of 
these, and of other pious men, who succeeded them, and in whom 
the love of God was largely accompanied with its never-failing at- 
tendant, the love of man, were eminently blessed ; — the concern 
gradually extended, till neighborhoods and meetings were brought 
to see the inconsistency and injustice of claiming property in their 
fellow men;* and eventually the Society at large, having in their 
collective capacity, long been deeply exercised with a consideration 
of the subject, and having gradually advanced, step by step, towards 
so desirable a result, became united in restoring the enjoyment of 
the natural and inalienable rights of man, to all who had been held 
in a state of Slavery by members of the Society, throughout the 
several Yearly Meetings of Friends on this continent. — And for 
more than half a century, no person could hold his fellow being in 
bondage, and retain his connection with Friends. 

Our predecessors in religious faith, having thus cleared them- 
selves and the Society, from any participation in a practice which 
they believed to be inconsistent with the precepts and doctrines of 
our blessed Lord and his Apostles, the subject of Slavery has never 
ceased to occupy the feeling consideration of Friends, as a body of 
professing Christians, concerned for the promotion of truth and 
righteousness in the earth ; and they have been led, from time to 
time, to cast whatever weight of influence they may have possessed, 
into the scale favorable to the cause of their enslaved fellow men, 
of African descent. 

The testimony which was so dear to our worthy predecessors, 
and which they made many sacrifices to establish, (while Slavery 
was yet tolerated in mnst, if not all the States in which they resi- 
ded,) is still cherished by us, and we have earnestly desired, may 
ever be inviolably maintained by all our members. We believe it 
to rest on the immutable basis of truth and justice, and of pure 
Christianity. We still continue deeply to sympathize with all who 
are under oppression. Yet we would remind all our dear Friends 
of every class and station in the Society, that as the concern had its 
origin in a faithful attention to the convictions of religious duty, so 
\ve believe that in all our eflorts to advance this cause, as well as in 
*See Note, at close. 



every other religious concern, we should seek to Him, for the 
guidance of his Holy Spirit, Avho has declared, " Without me yc 
can do nothing." Thus should we become qualified, not only to 
see with clearness, what is called for at our hands, but the concern 
itself being preserved on its original ground, we should be enabled 
to labour for its advancement, under the influence of Gospel love, 
and with feelings of good will to every class of our fellow men. 
And we would, in tenderness of feeling add, that should any of our 
members be led, from whatever motive, to abandon this ground, we 
fear that not only an individual loss would be sustained, but that the 
cause itself would thereby suffer. 

Let us then, dear Friends, continue to be united together, and act 
as one body, strengthening and encouraging one another, in our 
endeavors so to keep under the benign influence of the Spirit of 
the Gospel, in the discharge of this and every other Christian duty, 
that we may be enabled availingly to ask for right ability to perform 
every good work, — in humble reliance upon an over-ruling Provi- 
dence, — remembering, that although Paul may plant, and Apollos 
water, it is God who giveth the increase. 

And while thus engaged, renewedly to call the attention of our 
own members to this important Testimony, and to the principles on 
which we have ever considered it to rest, — we have believed, — that 
while Slavery continues to exist, to a fearful extent, in some por- 
tions of our beloved country, and while, in addition to its other 
enormous evils, the internal traffic in Slaves, continues to rend 
asunder the tenderest of human ties, it can never cease to commend 
itself, as a subject of serious thoughtfulness, to every benevolent 
Christian mind. And we would affectionately invite the professors 
of other religious denominations, to give to the subject that attentive 
consideration, which its great and increasing importance would 
seem to demand. We cherish no disposition to prescribe to them, 
in what way their particular efforts to remove this, and other evils 
that abound in our land, shall be directed ; but we would, in Chris- 
tian freedom, encourage them to embrace every right opening, for 
endeavoring, in the spirit of Gospel love, to persuade their breth- 
ren in religious profession, residing in the slave-holding States, seri- 
ously to examine this momentous question, in all its various 
bearings. As it relates to the well-being of themselvt'S, their chil- 



(3 

drcn, and their country, we are persuaded they would find, (we 
have no doubt they often do find,) abundant cause for serious medi- 
tation ; but were they, in sincerity of heart, without regard to self- 
interest and the maxims of a cruel policy, to enter upon an enquiry 
into its consistency with the precepts and doctrines of Him, who in 
the greatness of his love for a fallen world, gave himself a ransom 
for all, — how could they turn away from the conviction, — that to 
do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God, — to 
love our neighbor as ourselves, — to do unto others, as we would 
that they should do unto us, — are duties of universal obligation ? — 
and that to claim property in their fellow-men ; to hold them in un- 
conditional bondage; reaping the fruit of their labour without any 
adequate return ; and with-holding, in great measure at least, the 
means of moral and religious instruction from those who are equally 
with themselves, and with us, heirs of the promises of salvation by 
Christ, — is wholly at variance with that dispensation, which was 
ushered into the world with the joyous anthem, of " Glory to God 
in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." And 
seeing these things in their true light, and remembering that He 
whom we profess to serve, and who has " made of o/ie blood, all 
nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth," is no 
respecter of persons ; that he is a God of justice, as well as of 
mercy, and hath declared : " For the oppression of the poor, for the 
sighing of tire needy, I will arise saith the Lord" — how could they 
refrain from turning to Him for strength, to pursue the path of 
duty, that would thus be opened before them ; and from becoming, 
at least, preachers of righteousness by their example, if the influ- 
ence of example were all that they had it in their power to exert ? 
And to this, we have ardently desired, they may be persuaded, in 
love unfeigned, and by every motive that can rightly influence the 
Christian mind — that the blessing of millions who are ready to 
perish, may come upon them. 

We cannot doubt that there are, among the inhabitants of the 
States in which Slavery is now widely extended, those who are 
taking a thoughtful, sober view, of this highly interesting subject. 
We are fully aware that they are surrounded with difficulties of no 
ordinary magnitude. We sympathize with them in their peculiar 
trials. But we would, — that they could be encouraged, instead of 



looking too much at the difficulties that arc presented to their minds, 
to turn to the gracious offers of assistance to all who rightly ask 
it, which abound throughout the sacred volume, — and to the ani- 
mating hope that is set before all those who, in sincerity and single- 
ness of heart, obey the Gospel. 

In conclusion, we cannot forbear repeating, the very great solici- 
tude we have felt, that the members of every professing Christian 
church may, under a deep sense of religious duty, — and encour- 
aged by the cheering declaration, — " Blessed are the merciful, for 
they shall obtain mercy" — commence, in earnest, the endeavour to 
clear their hands from all participation in the continuance of 
Slavery in our land; and then, we believe, that difficulties that 
may now seem to be insurmountable, would be made to disappear, 
and the system itself, through the Divine blessing upon their ex- 
ample and their labours, cease to be a reproach to us, as a Nation. 
Signed on behalf, and by direction of said Meeting, 

ABRAHAM SHEARMAN, Jun. 

Chrk of the Men's Meetino 

HANNAH GOULD, Jun. 

Clerk of the ^Vomeri's Meeting. 



Note, page 4.— -It may be satisfactory to many of our memhers, as well as to 
others, to be informed, that this interesting conrern had cngag'cd the attention of 
some of the Meetings of Friends within the limits of New Englan<l Yearly Meeting, 
a? early as the year lllG. In the 9tli month of that year, the MonUii}' Meeting of 
Nantucket made a minute, expressing the " sense and judamenl" of that meeting, 
that " it is not agreoahlc to Truih, for Friends to purchase Slaves, and keep ihem 
term of life." 



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